I've been selling books for about 4 years on eBay... this is good info and every bit is spot on. I would also add 2 things I've found to be true: 1. Condition is, most cases, essential. You don't want a shabby copy of an otherwise strong selling title, unless you have a rare unicorn where condition doesn't matter. Offer nice looking inventory and it will move. 2. Religious books are strong sellers. Look for anything that analyzes religious concepts, or is instructive in some way. Also, I've had a lot of success with large print religious books. I used to scan barcodes and toss aside the older, non-barcoded books. Then I woke up and now find myself mostly passing on the barcode books and zeroing in on the older stuff. Life is funny. Good video!
Exactly how I do it, I once found three paperback books listing serial numbers for Civil War era rifles. No bar codes and they were laying right on top of picked over bin. I paid sixty cents each and one sold for over $200, the other two in the $160 to $180 range. God bless America!
In the city I grew up the mall had a christian bookseller shop two shops left of the regular shop. It was full of all that joy meyers prosperity gospel garbage, but hey it had its own bookshop dedicated to it so it must have been popular.
Listen to this man! I'm a somewhat new bookseller and had no idea about library book stores. Spent $1.50 yesterday and got a $110 book, and a $40 book. Ridiculously good tips on this channel.
This is all great advice. I’ve been at it for about two years and came to many similar conclusions myself. I also focus on new age occult which sells well. Again you can apply the publisher search to this. Anything Weiser or Lewellyn sells well. Hay house too. Of course there’s a lot more beyond this but this is a good start.
My biggest issue with library book stores is if they are library books (marked as former library copies). Those tend to have a lot less value. But I still shop library book sales as they do get donated books to resell that are not ex-library copies. In competing with other book pickers, the #1 advantage I have is they ALL rely on bar code scanning. They just don't know literature. So that is my edge. I've found some great vintage books that the "experts" passed on. Anything vintage will not have a bar code on it. Old detective, westerns, sci-fi can have good value, and I often lot them. You just have to get them cheap. Old car repair manuals can also do well, particularly if they are brand specific. On hardbacks, avoid book club copies, they are obvious once you know what to look for. Note, some vintage stuff book club can do OK! I've also done well on college yearbooks (needs to be either a major college or something with special interest). Books tend to sell slow and you need a good inventory system so you can find them when they do sell. If you live in a humid climate, they need to be stored in climate controlled area, so no carports, basements, or garages. They are super easy to ship, and the markup can be anywhere from 10 times to 100 times or even more!
I am the last of the baby boomers generation, I became overwhelmed on what to sell on eBay, thanks to you, I'm starting out by selling books.Whew! Thank You!
I watched a train load of videos over the last three months about selling books online. This is no doubt the most informative of the bunch. Actionable ideas from start of finish. Many thanks.
I have three rules for buying books. One. No mass market! Two. Niche means money. If it’s unique or hyper specialized, you have a chance for gold. Three. Great condition only. All of these are just guidelines but as a beginner they made me hundreds of dollars.
So delighted to find your channel! Apart from the great info it's nice to hang outwith other bibliophiles. I feel like I'm late to þhe bookselling party though - might not be any left for me 😂. Thanks!
This is 11 months old but was so helpful. I lucked out that my existing books happened to all be nonfiction mostly vintage/antique science books/journals and historical or hobby non-fiction. Good to know I have a good eye and you gave me great ideas.
I’d like to hear more about your storage structure, accounting, how to price, what kind of pictures you advertise with, when to promote a listing and when not to, and how to reinvest it.
Great content and tips. I agree with you on the scanning. I’d rather use my intuition and knowledge rather than clog up aisles scanning books looking like a fool. Not to mention drawing attention to yourself and getting questions. Which is the exact opposite of what I would want. If in doubt I might check eBay sold listings.
Nice tips. I will keep it in mind. I don't usually mess with books but it doesn't hurt to expand knowledge. A few months ago I was at an estate sale where they wanted a quarter for each piece of media. I grabbed a bunch of DVD's and some CD's. Mostly stuff I knew I could lot up and make an easy sale. Also picked up a 16 book set of Mormon children's Bible stories. Big heavy things but I figured having an entire set for $4, I couldn't go wrong. They sold about a month later for $70 plus shipping.
Vintage firearms can be really good as well. I just sold a Winchester Rifle book for $140 that I paid a buck for. Make sure to look them up though, some are not worth buying, others are quite profitable.
i mostly try and look for older books [ex.old western paperbacks from the 40's,50's & 60's,pr old science fiction, other paper backs.. i also for for well know titles and authors [ex.alex hailey's roots from the 70's,or peyton place from the 60's....and older hardback boks with nice dust covers}
Thank you for this. I used to buy and sell books in the early 2000s. Now that I am semi retired, I want to sell again and this is a great reminder video of what to buy.
Loved your video. I'm a small reseller and tend to look for about anything that will resell. I've only sold a few books but recently I found about 30 Agatha Christie paperbacks mostly from early 70s. I found at a small thrift store that is run by volunteers and they were only 25 cents per book. I put them in three different lots a couple weeks ago and the second lot just sold. They averaged close to two dollars a piece. After that experience and watching your video I'm definitely going to be hunting for more.
Hi! I'm a new subscriber and found some of your videos really helpful. Thank you for sharing! Thanks for also sharing info on how long it takes to sell more niche books - always good to manage expectations!
Great video! Personally, I scan with my eyes and use my intuition and knowledge, though I am always willing to type in the details if unsure. I am no expert, and am sure I miss a bunch, but am a lifelong antiques dude and bookman.
Wow...that was amazingly helpful. I have been a hobbyist ebay'r for 20 plus years, but oddly it really intimidated me and took ages for me to understand shipping and the process. Now that I am finally comfortable with it I want to do something that I can actually make money at, rather than just fooling around. Then I stumbled across your channel, I say again, wow. I have had to work for it a bit, though. As an example I went immediately to search for the book sell finder app and could not locate it, watched that part of your video over and over and realized that I wasn't hearing it correctly - book sale, not book sell. And I have never found the flat foldable box that you showed in one of the many vids that I have watched. But I am so grateful for the info and how valuable it is...thanks so very much!!!
I am a very new, still learning, book seller, I only have an Instagram account so far. I found your channel yesterday, and have learned so much from you. I am so thankful for the insight and encouragement you share. So many other sellers are focused on sell, sell, sell, it doesn't matter WHAT kind of books they sell. I am a "retired" home schooler, and we used actual books more than curriculum, so my house and attic/eaves are stuffed full of books of all kinds. I am also a collector myself ( I still have all my books from my early teen years ie: 1970s and forward) so part of my own collection is boxed up. I think I have plenty of books to get started with! I plan to work my way through all your videos and glean as much as I can. Thank you, again!
Thank you for the feedback and the channel support! It sounds like you are off to a head start with your personal knowledge and some great book stock! Just get started, list, build inventory, and watch your book sells climb!
Thank you for your reply! May I ask... one thing that keeps me from posting is not knowing which comes first, the post and sale, or purchasing packaging and weighing, and figuring out postage, etc., before I post? Do you include an explanation that it will not ship the very next day, but ASAP? I have no shipping supplies as of yet, so I don't post, and the cycle continues.
@@sandycheney660 So the post and sale come first, but you need to think about postage before you list. For books it is pretty easy. They ship media mail so the rate is set only by weight. I charge a flat $4 for book shipping, unless it is very big/heavy, then I may go $5. That covers most if not all of shipping and eliminates your risk of getting bit on shipping cost. In your listing, you can specify the ship time. I typically list with 3 day turn around. That gives me some flex. Ebay wants everyone to do same day, but that is not possible for me. Also, you pick the shipping method; ie, media mail for books in the listing. If you have a lot of books, look at buying a 25 pack of 12x9x3 or 10x8x3 boxes on ebay or amazon. That is what I do. Supply costs are up but these can still be found for about 60-65cents each. Do your listing, books are media mail, charge $4 for shipping, pick 3 day turn around, and post it. Then get a few boxes in reserve. Keep listing and build inventory. The sales will come and you will be ready!
While I like the library bookstores, most are super picked over. The library sales are good, but not on day 1. $5 bag day is great. The GW Outlet added another 50c to their books so, hardbacks are 2.79 leaving no profit on books to sell. They rotate out 1000's of books per day barely selling 5%.
Thorough video, much appreciated. I haven't sold books much but will start perusing through them when I encounter them. Gurus always point us to FBA for selling books, but it appears there is a thriving market on eBay, too.
I think eBay is an easier start. I did start selling some on FBA in May. Some books do sell really well there but I like having my eBay selling channel. They work good together.
Stumbled on your channel. Great information. You are an asset to the bookselling community. I especially appreciate that you advocate for using your mind and not just the technology. All your tips are spot on. The only thing I might add is that even with more common books or authors that have larger (but not millions) runs there is an art to adding value to those books. One example is the setting like the time period or the location. You may cover that in another video though. Great job. Keep on. -Shawn (Membrana Books)
This was so helpful! I am dominantly a clothing seller but have been super interested in books and have been having such a hard time figuring out where to start. This has me excited to get back out there!
I buy from the 3 sources you mentioned and I too sell non-fiction. My focus is on African American History with a lot of other interests. I sell at flea markets and sometime from my porch. I love selling books. I am also a collector. Great information.
Thank you so much for your wisdom, I love reading books and just love books in general. I always wanted to sell books and after watching your videos I posted 3 today (My first day as a book salesman) don't know when they will sell, but I am definitely going to spend the time to earn some extra money. Thank you so much!
The friends of the Library in our area is a small shelf. But every few months or so they have a large book sale on the lawn at the library. I'll have to see if any of the larger ones are in our area.
I have always been a book lover, and recently became a reseller but primarily hard goods and clothing. Wow - this was extremely helpful and now I know exactly how to get started. Thank you so much - subscribed and looking forward to more learning!
I have had some luck with specialty or antique medical books. Although the majority I find are dated and not worth anything. I don’t see too many medical items in general. Funny because I get tons of NASA and technical books here. Just depends on your sourcing local. Kind of the same on political books- I don’t see many in my stores but I like to check the ones I do find for being signed!
Just came upon your utube site.You must watch Mel sitebBack from Burnout)She went to a book sale in Aussie where she lives.She went 3 times and had filled 6 Ikea bags ..when she was checking out the final time they asked her not to return again....I've just begun reselling and you know 😏 that when you begin you sell everything .Of course I never thought I could niche down but I have always been a book whorder(a pun).When I moved in with my son I had to take hundreds to goodwill.So now I want to get your take on book selling. Happy to meet you!
I just sold a book called WINGS - THE STORY OF CAMP WESTMORELAND - OLDEST CONTINUOUS BOY SCOUTS N ALABAMA. I always look for books that not everyone would want. Like you said....specialty stuff.
Did you book sellers know that everything listed in the "Magazines" sub category of books comes up with the Media Mail option grayed out when trying to print the label? I just found this out, talked with eBay a few times, they're saying that it's actually USPS rules to not allow shipping Media Mail for magazines. But eBay is allowing sellers to list in the "Magazines" category and choose Media Mail and the buyers to select media mail as a shipping option when they purchase the item. I just changed all my listings that I had in the Magazines category to "books".
Correct- Magazines with advertising are not eligible for media mail. Sometimes even “legal” items will get medial mail greyed out- in those cases I import to pirate ship.
I have a lot of craft and history books I've collected over the years. Craft magazines too. Moving with them and storing them in a smaller place hasn't been fun. I hope I can move some of them, even if it takes a while. It'll give me something to do 🙂
I think that is one reason why books are always plentiful to sell- people get tired of lugging them around. I know on our last move I had like 60 boxes of books. It was awful.
I was already somewhat aware of it, but it does break my brain that the books I'm least interested in are the ones that are actually the best to sell. lol
Thanks! Just jump in and you will learn. I have books that will take a year to sell but if I only have a buck or two in them that is ok. I will make great profit when they do sell. Sometimes it just takes some inventory to build up persistent sales.
@@curatorofthelost This older post reminded me of one more question. Does ebay have a limit for how long you can leave things listed? Or if it doesn't move in a month, can I remove it and list something else? ( I'm sorry for my many questions...)
@@sandycheney660 The fixed price listings list with a good til canceled. They will auto renew every 30 days. You can cancel them at any time. Just remember that listings and renewals all count toward any free listings.
@@sandycheney660 Fixed priced listings generally post with a Good Til Canceled feature. They auto renew every 30 days, but you can cancel it at anytime. Just remember, your new and renewal listings count toward any free insertion fee allocations you have. I like the Good Til Canceled- back in the 'old' days we would have to manually relist and it was easy to drop items.
I do pretty well with local history books, sometimes they take a little while to sell, but you usually are not competing with a hundred other people selling the same book. The biggest turn off for me are the words " Best Seller". That tells me they were heavily promoted for a time and lot were sold but now there is no promotion, no one is looking for it and there is a huge supply a available. See law of supply & demand.
Hi! Just started my ebay store! I love your channel. Are you in GA? I am and will be calling the libraries for sourcing..never thought they would sell books. I am a RN and nursing textbooks and study guides sell like hotcakes. ;)
Came across your channel. Enjoyed your contents and new subscriber here. Do you use the USPS free shipping supplies for your books? I understand one may need to buy boxes in case one has many books to ship to one buyer.
I only use the free usps boxes for priority mail shipping. For me that is mainly magazines (I like the regional rate A boxes for those). I ship books media mail for the cost savings- especially with weight. So I have to buy boxes as you can’t use the usps priority for anything but that. I get them on either Amazon or eBay- generally for 50-60 cents each. It used to be closer to 40 cents!
My thoughts on book sourcing... Personally, I don't understand why an experienced book scouter would scan every book. Yes, you might miss a few valuable books, but you are better off using your trained eye to look for winners. I do go to thrift stores, but I avoid the large chain stores. The smaller ones tend to have higher quality stuff at reasonable prices. You can make money on fiction, but you will have to create book lots. It's a bit more work, but can be profitable. When it comes to non fiction, the more specific the subject, the better. A generic cookbook probably won't fetch much, but a book on clay pot cooking techniques of Navajo people probably will. Yes, small publishers have smaller print runs and hence, books are more valuable. The only major publisher I have luck with is Penguin.
Most libraries, library sales, and thrift stores, at least in my drivable area, are now selling nearly anything that's profitable online themselves; mostly junk left for the public to buy. Every now and then I find one that slips through the cracks.
That is tough. I see some goodwill stores trying to do that. If sourcing is bad it makes it hard. For books- sometimes you can place a Craigslists or FB marketplace ad saying you will buy bulk books by the pound. Also, some viewers have put up flyers at local post office or grocery saying they will buy books. Just some other ideas given your situation.
I'm an online bookseller too, and I found your video extremely interesting. I have a question about rotation of stock. I have a very limited amount of room for my for-sale items, and find myself needing to rotate out books that don't sell. You mentioned keeping the more esoteric titles for as long as 6 months or longer. How long do you tend to keep your fiction/science fiction for-sale books? Thanks!
I have some stuff that is creeping up on a year. I need to take a day and do a culling. Or start some sales and see if they move. I’m not hurting on space right now so I haven’t been pressed to cull. Otherwise I would try to be on a 6 month schedule. Maybe longer for a real high value book I should revisit this topic!
Some luck- there are a few like the older Betty Crockers that I sell often for good price. I definitely check cookbooks out. I just found some good ones but the thrift knew they were good and priced them at $25 each!!!
I made a deal with a thrift store to get around 500 books a month at a quarter each. I take the good ones and donate the junk elsewhere. But even crappy books sell at a huge discount and I'm still making money or getting my quarter back lol oh and I should mention it's a crap shoot. They get boxes of books in then put it in my pile so they aren't looking at everything and I'm not picking. I get what I get.
That sounds like a pretty good deal, but I bet you see a wide range books. I love when my library does a 25 cent sale and I get that price and get to pick! You are right though- 25 cents gives you a lot of latitude for profit. Good luck on your future pick ups!
@@curatorofthelost i won't lie, I would like to be able to pick through the books first but they expect me to do a blind pickup each month. I am tired of all the childrens and cook books though lol. So many. The novels are great as lots on facebook marketplace. I do see a good range of books. I find books with autographs all the time which is cool. Thanks I subbed you by the way, I like your videos.
You can do it- just get started and be patient. As you gain inventory your sales will happen. Nonfiction, specialty books are good money items but can be a thin market depending on the subject matter.
Exactly, daunting is the word. I just stepped back, out of a course to learn to sell books online, that was so daunting, it caused so much anxiety, I knew it wasn't for me. I need this calm, easy learning style. So grateful!
I'm switching from clothes & stuff to books. I absolutely like selling books! I did have a customer that left on his review "library book" they gave me a 5 star, but do ppl not like library books? Also...how do you handle covering the cost of shipping heavy books and making a profit?
Ex library books are usually less favorable because of markings and conditions. I typically don’t deal with them unless they are special volumes. On shipping for heavy items- I just put calculated shipping on the eBay listing. Just pass the cost to the buyer. They pay you for shipping of course and you turn around and pay USPS through eBay shipping. But it is covered and doesn’t cut into your profit
Great video!! Library book sales are killer!! Personally I use a scanner but having knowledge about what to look out for helps when competition is in the same location.
Thanks! Man I love a good library book sale. Although that first 30 minutes to an hour can be madhouse. Scanners are the no fail way to go if you have one and the time to use it ;)
@@curatorofthelostdon’t the library books have the marks and glued portions to the books? That always devalues the book. Am I missing something? Thanks. Love the vid.
Hello, thank you for your content. I have past a lot of the types of genres you buy because they will be ranked over 2,000,000. Do you let the rank sway your decision. If so, how do you balance book selling ranks, time, and price.
For higher ranks, I just want the profit to be higher to justify the long tail for the sell. It is a balance for sure. If you are doing eBay or Amzn merchant fulfilled the big consideration is your shelf space. If you are doing FBA then the question for me is should it sell in 6 months. I have some books on eBay that may have been there for a year, but I do believe they will sell and my profit can be 30, 40, or even $100. For those, I will wait as I may only have 50 cents or $1 in them. One thing that helps with ranking is definitely the ScoutIQ escore. If the ranking is 2M+ the escore gives you more info that I like. Lets say that escore was a 12. That would estimate a sale in about 2 weeks. In that case a $10 profit would be great (for me). So, I guess to answer the question- yes it does sway me, but I look at the ranking and escore. Then I consider if I would rather sell it on ebay or amazon. If I think the profit potential is solid, then I will take a ride with it.
I'm not sure they actually have an app. Do a Google search on book sale finder. It will come up with a map of the US and say since 1994. You pick the state and drill done.
Definitely pay attention to any University Press- they are small. Then learn the big guys like Random House, Doubleday, Knopf, Simon & Schuster, Viking, Putnam, etc. Your eye will learn to filter those out and pick up on publisher names you are not familiar with. Sometimes the small guys will have strange emblems/icons on the spine edge too.
new sub here love the info question i go to goodwill i will check the books for buyback price on the spot it just takes so long loading is there any app that is faster for the buyback books thank also willing to pay
I know the scan crowd likes scout IQ with the database option. Just requires the monthly subscription so it depends on your volume. I primarily use ebay lookup for comps in the wild. But that is where I primarily sell.
I have some encyclopedias so old that Constantinople is given as the de facto name of the city and Istanbul is what "some people" call it. I also have Mathematics book from 1900 that actually explains things exceptionally well. No "new math."
I just found your channel and became a subscriber. If u don’t mind I have two questions. (Maybe because this is the first video I’ve watched of yours you’ve answered this and other prior videos but I thought I’d ask) where do you normally sell most of your acquisitions? Do you put them on eBay or do you put them on Amazon or where is your recommended outlets for sales? Also you mention scanner app but every time I look at scanner apps I can’t find one that really works well for an android. Do you have any suggestions in that area? Thank you very much great video! 👍
Thanks for the sub! I only sell on ebay right now. I did etsy as well for a while with some good success. Nothing against Amazon, I just have good success on ebay and as a side hobby it keeps me plenty busy. If I did resell more full time, then I would definitely invest time in getting other sales channels. I do think that folks that sell on Amazon like their fulfillment services. As for scanner, I have never used a dedicated hardware plugin or app. I just use the amazon or ebay to lookup. Both of their built in functions are ok for onsite comp checks, but I see people with hardware attachments and they go fast. Maybe some other folks on the channel will reply with what they use.
Check out more of my videos and I address many of you questions above in greater detail, but here is the short scoop. I currently just sell on ebay. It is easy to get started. For a new seller it is a great way to get into the game. Having more than one selling channel is always a good thing if you can put the time into it. Find value by looking for sold comps on ebay as a first step. If no sold, then look at ebay and amazon to get list prices to determine fair ask price. Books ship media mail. It is based only on weight, not destination. You can get the rate table on USPS.com, but generally books will ship via media mail for $3.50 to $5 depending on size. I have a couple of shipping videos out there too.
How do you price used niche books in good condition? Sometimes new niche books on Amazon are really expensive. How should we price the same book which is in good used condition whether we sell on eBay or Amazon.
Great question. I usually will compare comps between Amazon, eBay, Abebooks, and maybe Alibris. That helps get a clear picture. If Amazon is the only comp and is crazy high, I will go with two methods. First, list a little lower but use best offer. The market can often tell you if it is too high from offer. 2nd, I might list at 50-75% of the expensive cost. I figure if I only have a buck in something and can flip it for $100 -125 it is better than it sitting forever at a higher price. A great profit for me and gets it to a collector that will enjoy it. Win-win.
Absolutely. I will note that my library sales are 95% donated books and not ex-lib books. Ex-library books would be much more limited due to condition. Have found and sold ex-lib but generally don’t deal with them due to condition. Most library stores and sales will have a mix of donated and ex-lib- the ratio varies location to location.
Do you have any advice on vintage fiction classics? I found a Steinbeck, Shakespeare and Dickens all with interesting features. Not huge resale value but, anything to look for besides rarity and condition?
I have similar experiences with vintage classics. They are cool but have limited resale. If I see them I will still pick them up. I got a few Mark Twain’s a few months ago. The keys to me are age, condition, and cool factor. Age will play into rarity of course, but generally the older the better especially if in good condition. The cool factor is if the covers sport nice Victorian, Deco, or Nouveau elements. That can drive price as a decorative element as much as the book. Try putting those words in your list title. Another thing on that class book can be the illustration and illustrator. Tough to quantify but some editions can be special due to plate art alone.
I haven’t had great luck with graphic novels. They can sell well in lots or for key/popular ones if you can get them at a good price, but I usually find them to cost too much when I do run across them.
Sometimes it is but it depends on your store. I have a library and a big thrift store that sees a ton of traffic, but they have new stock almost everyday. It can be hit or miss for sure, but depends on specific stores. My Salvation Army always looks picked over.
Please do something about the volume. Turn it up! Lapel mic maybe? What ever! I really like your videos but it's always a struggle to hear what you are saying. Thank you !!!
It really varies on the book, price, topic, etc. I have some books that sell in hours and others that can sit for 6-12 months. A really obscure topic or edition can bring nice profit but realistically the market can be thin and take a while to sell. The strategy is to just build inventory and have a mix of fast, medium, and slower sellers. Then it all averages out.
@@curatorofthelost that’s kind of what I figured, Next question I have for you is with shipping, how are so many people able to sell books so cheap with free shipping? There’s no way they are breaking even?
I agree- generally that will be the case. I usually have to list as 'acceptable' condition and ex-library due to a lot of wear. Sometime you find one that is ex-lib and in great shape.
This sounded like it could be a good informative video, but I wouldn't know...you sounded far away, and I could not hear you. Can you project your voice or get a better microphone? I think 🤔, I would enjoy your channel.
Thanks for the feedback. That was one of my early videos. I’m now on a second microphone and the audio quality is much improved. Sometimes you learn as you go!
I've been selling books for about 4 years on eBay... this is good info and every bit is spot on. I would also add 2 things I've found to be true: 1. Condition is, most cases, essential. You don't want a shabby copy of an otherwise strong selling title, unless you have a rare unicorn where condition doesn't matter. Offer nice looking inventory and it will move. 2. Religious books are strong sellers. Look for anything that analyzes religious concepts, or is instructive in some way. Also, I've had a lot of success with large print religious books. I used to scan barcodes and toss aside the older, non-barcoded books. Then I woke up and now find myself mostly passing on the barcode books and zeroing in on the older stuff. Life is funny. Good video!
Exactly how I do it, I once found three paperback books listing serial numbers for Civil War era rifles. No bar codes and they were laying right on top of picked over bin. I paid sixty cents each and one sold for over $200, the other two in the $160 to $180 range. God bless America!
In the city I grew up the mall had a christian bookseller shop two shops left of the regular shop. It was full of all that joy meyers prosperity gospel garbage, but hey it had its own bookshop dedicated to it so it must have been popular.
Listen to this man! I'm a somewhat new bookseller and had no idea about library book stores. Spent $1.50 yesterday and got a $110 book, and a $40 book. Ridiculously good tips on this channel.
I totally agree!
How diu you find out how much the book is worth
@@dionnedameron5359 guessing he looked up the Sold listings on eBay and/or Terapeak.
Let me know if you need help, happy to assist.
This is all great advice. I’ve been at it for about two years and came to many similar conclusions myself.
I also focus on new age occult which sells well. Again you can apply the publisher search to this. Anything Weiser or Lewellyn sells well. Hay house too. Of course there’s a lot more beyond this but this is a good start.
My biggest issue with library book stores is if they are library books (marked as former library copies). Those tend to have a lot less value. But I still shop library book sales as they do get donated books to resell that are not ex-library copies. In competing with other book pickers, the #1 advantage I have is they ALL rely on bar code scanning. They just don't know literature. So that is my edge. I've found some great vintage books that the "experts" passed on. Anything vintage will not have a bar code on it. Old detective, westerns, sci-fi can have good value, and I often lot them. You just have to get them cheap. Old car repair manuals can also do well, particularly if they are brand specific. On hardbacks, avoid book club copies, they are obvious once you know what to look for. Note, some vintage stuff book club can do OK! I've also done well on college yearbooks (needs to be either a major college or something with special interest). Books tend to sell slow and you need a good inventory system so you can find them when they do sell. If you live in a humid climate, they need to be stored in climate controlled area, so no carports, basements, or garages. They are super easy to ship, and the markup can be anywhere from 10 times to 100 times or even more!
I am the last of the baby boomers generation, I became overwhelmed on what to sell on eBay, thanks to you, I'm starting out by selling books.Whew! Thank You!
Alright! Welcome to the Jungle! Books are a great way to break the ice. Buy good stuff and build inventory. It will pay off.
I watched a train load of videos over the last three months about selling books online. This is no doubt the most informative of the bunch. Actionable ideas from start of finish. Many thanks.
Thanks for the feedback and the channel support! I'm glad my points are helping. I have an update to this video planned in the near future!
I have three rules for buying books. One. No mass market! Two. Niche means money. If it’s unique or hyper specialized, you have a chance for gold. Three. Great condition only. All of these are just guidelines but as a beginner they made me hundreds of dollars.
Great information thank you ***
So delighted to find your channel! Apart from the great info it's nice to hang outwith other bibliophiles. I feel like I'm late to þhe bookselling party though - might not be any left for me 😂. Thanks!
This is 11 months old but was so helpful. I lucked out that my existing books happened to all be nonfiction mostly vintage/antique science books/journals and historical or hobby non-fiction. Good to know I have a good eye and you gave me great ideas.
Also worth noting books with there slip covers in tact can get 20 - 40 % more. Always go for them.
I’d like to hear more about your storage structure, accounting, how to price, what kind of pictures you advertise with, when to promote a listing and when not to, and how to reinvest it.
Great content and tips. I agree with you on the scanning. I’d rather use my intuition and knowledge rather than clog up aisles scanning books looking like a fool. Not to mention drawing attention to yourself and getting questions. Which is the exact opposite of what I would want. If in doubt I might check eBay sold listings.
Nice tips. I will keep it in mind. I don't usually mess with books but it doesn't hurt to expand knowledge. A few months ago I was at an estate sale where they wanted a quarter for each piece of media. I grabbed a bunch of DVD's and some CD's. Mostly stuff I knew I could lot up and make an easy sale. Also picked up a 16 book set of Mormon children's Bible stories. Big heavy things but I figured having an entire set for $4, I couldn't go wrong. They sold about a month later for $70 plus shipping.
Great tips. I am new, have been using medial mail with dvds and blu rays, and stuff. I want to get into books, too, though.
Vintage firearms can be really good as well. I just sold a Winchester Rifle book for $140 that I paid a buck for. Make sure to look them up though, some are not worth buying, others are quite profitable.
Great job. We love books, have more than we can store and are starting to sell on ebay. Thanks for sharing your expertise.
Hybrid approach: The best of both worlds! You rock the shelves, Shane!
i mostly try and look for older books [ex.old western paperbacks from the 40's,50's & 60's,pr old science fiction, other paper backs.. i also for for well know titles and authors [ex.alex hailey's roots from the 70's,or peyton place from the 60's....and older hardback boks with nice dust covers}
I live in Canada I bought a bunch of new cookbooks in the clearance section for $5 each and made a good profit off them.
Nice!
Thank you for this. I used to buy and sell books in the early 2000s. Now that I am semi retired, I want to sell again and this is a great reminder video of what to buy.
Thank you! I have some other videos in the last few weeks that revisit this topic. You may find interesting.
Lots of good tips, thanks!
Loved your video. I'm a small reseller and tend to look for about anything that will resell. I've only sold a few books but recently I found about 30 Agatha Christie paperbacks mostly from early 70s. I found at a small thrift store that is run by volunteers and they were only 25 cents per book. I put them in three different lots a couple weeks ago and the second lot just sold. They averaged close to two dollars a piece. After that experience and watching your video I'm definitely going to be hunting for more.
Enjoyed this. Learned a few new things. Thank you.
Lots of great knowledge! I'm an everything seller but try and learn different categories as much as i can
Hi! I'm a new subscriber and found some of your videos really helpful. Thank you for sharing! Thanks for also sharing info on how long it takes to sell more niche books - always good to manage expectations!
Great video! Personally, I scan with my eyes and use my intuition and knowledge, though I am always willing to type in the details if unsure. I am no expert, and am sure I miss a bunch, but am a lifelong antiques dude and bookman.
I volunteer and they say I can scan and list why I volunteer
Wow...that was amazingly helpful. I have been a hobbyist ebay'r for 20 plus years, but oddly it really intimidated me and took ages for me to understand shipping and the process. Now that I am finally comfortable with it I want to do something that I can actually make money at, rather than just fooling around. Then I stumbled across your channel, I say again, wow. I have had to work for it a bit, though. As an example I went immediately to search for the book sell finder app and could not locate it, watched that part of your video over and over and realized that I wasn't hearing it correctly - book sale, not book sell. And I have never found the flat foldable box that you showed in one of the many vids that I have watched. But I am so grateful for the info and how valuable it is...thanks so very much!!!
I am a very new, still learning, book seller, I only have an Instagram account so far. I found your channel yesterday, and have learned so much from you. I am so thankful for the insight and encouragement you share. So many other sellers are focused on sell, sell, sell, it doesn't matter WHAT kind of books they sell. I am a "retired" home schooler, and we used actual books more than curriculum, so my house and attic/eaves are stuffed full of books of all kinds. I am also a collector myself ( I still have all my books from my early teen years ie: 1970s and forward) so part of my own collection is boxed up. I think I have plenty of books to get started with! I plan to work my way through all your videos and glean as much as I can. Thank you, again!
Thank you for the feedback and the channel support! It sounds like you are off to a head start with your personal knowledge and some great book stock! Just get started, list, build inventory, and watch your book sells climb!
Thank you for your reply! May I ask... one thing that keeps me from posting is not knowing which comes first, the post and sale, or purchasing packaging and weighing, and figuring out postage, etc., before I post? Do you include an explanation that it will not ship the very next day, but ASAP? I have no shipping supplies as of yet, so I don't post, and the cycle continues.
@@sandycheney660 So the post and sale come first, but you need to think about postage before you list. For books it is pretty easy. They ship media mail so the rate is set only by weight. I charge a flat $4 for book shipping, unless it is very big/heavy, then I may go $5. That covers most if not all of shipping and eliminates your risk of getting bit on shipping cost.
In your listing, you can specify the ship time. I typically list with 3 day turn around. That gives me some flex. Ebay wants everyone to do same day, but that is not possible for me. Also, you pick the shipping method; ie, media mail for books in the listing.
If you have a lot of books, look at buying a 25 pack of 12x9x3 or 10x8x3 boxes on ebay or amazon. That is what I do. Supply costs are up but these can still be found for about 60-65cents each.
Do your listing, books are media mail, charge $4 for shipping, pick 3 day turn around, and post it. Then get a few boxes in reserve. Keep listing and build inventory. The sales will come and you will be ready!
Thank you, this is the logic my lack of experience could not come up with. I appreciate you taking the time to explain all of this. It is golden! ☺️
While I like the library bookstores, most are super picked over. The library sales are good, but not on day 1. $5 bag day is great. The GW Outlet added another 50c to their books so, hardbacks are 2.79 leaving no profit on books to sell. They rotate out 1000's of books per day barely selling 5%.
Very helpful!
Thorough video, much appreciated. I haven't sold books much but will start perusing through them when I encounter them. Gurus always point us to FBA for selling books, but it appears there is a thriving market on eBay, too.
I think eBay is an easier start. I did start selling some on FBA in May. Some books do sell really well there but I like having my eBay selling channel. They work good together.
Stumbled on your channel. Great information. You are an asset to the bookselling community. I especially appreciate that you advocate for using your mind and not just the technology. All your tips are spot on. The only thing I might add is that even with more common books or authors that have larger (but not millions) runs there is an art to adding value to those books. One example is the setting like the time period or the location. You may cover that in another video though. Great job. Keep on. -Shawn (Membrana Books)
This was so helpful! I am dominantly a clothing seller but have been super interested in books and have been having such a hard time figuring out where to start. This has me excited to get back out there!
I buy from the 3 sources you mentioned and I too sell non-fiction. My focus is on African American History with a lot of other interests. I sell at flea markets and sometime from my porch. I love selling books. I am also a collector. Great information.
Awesome! I think we are kindred spirits!
Be careful on ebay with stuff like that. I had old postcards and victorian cards a d got my stuff taken off. I can't post now even if I re word.
Outstanding job, tremendous information! Thanks so much, that was a great educational video that will allow me to be a more informed book flipper!
I was able to identify The Catcher in the Rye on your book shelf, just by the look of the spine. I also see Michael Criton Time-something or other.
Thank you so much for your wisdom, I love reading books and just love books in general. I always wanted to sell books and after watching your videos I posted 3 today (My first day as a book salesman) don't know when they will sell, but I am definitely going to spend the time to earn some extra money.
Thank you so much!
Buy cool stuff and build inventory- you will be pleased. Welcome aboard bookseller!!!
Great info thank you!
The friends of the Library in our area is a small shelf. But every few months or so they have a large book sale on the lawn at the library. I'll have to see if any of the larger ones are in our area.
FOL sales are big winners for me! Good luck!
I have always been a book lover, and recently became a reseller but primarily hard goods and clothing. Wow - this was extremely helpful and now I know exactly how to get started. Thank you so much - subscribed and looking forward to more learning!
What a great video! Thanks!
Super video Shane. What are your thoughts on books on medical/ medicine & political whether candidates or pundits? See you in the next installment.
I have had some luck with specialty or antique medical books. Although the majority I find are dated and not worth anything. I don’t see too many medical items in general. Funny because I get tons of NASA and technical books here. Just depends on your sourcing local. Kind of the same on political books- I don’t see many in my stores but I like to check the ones I do find for being signed!
Just came upon your utube site.You must watch Mel sitebBack from Burnout)She went to a book sale in Aussie where she lives.She went 3 times and had filled 6 Ikea bags ..when she was checking out the final time they asked her not to return again....I've just begun reselling and you know 😏 that when you begin you sell everything .Of course I never thought I could niche down but I have always been a book whorder(a pun).When I moved in with my son I had to take hundreds to goodwill.So now I want to get your take on book selling. Happy to meet you!
So glad I found your channel. Awsome content.
How can you sell library books on ebay and amazon when they have a stamp withdrawn? There is always stamps and library marks inside of books
Thank you for taking the time to make this very helpful video. :) Could you please tell me if Children's books sell? Thank you
Is there a uk version of estate sales/clearances
Great information ....
This was so immensely helpful!!
I just sold a book called WINGS - THE STORY OF CAMP WESTMORELAND - OLDEST CONTINUOUS BOY SCOUTS N ALABAMA. I always look for books that not everyone would want. Like you said....specialty stuff.
Did you book sellers know that everything listed in the "Magazines" sub category of books comes up with the Media Mail option grayed out when trying to print the label? I just found this out, talked with eBay a few times, they're saying that it's actually USPS rules to not allow shipping Media Mail for magazines. But eBay is allowing sellers to list in the "Magazines" category and choose Media Mail and the buyers to select media mail as a shipping option when they purchase the item. I just changed all my listings that I had in the Magazines category to "books".
Correct- Magazines with advertising are not eligible for media mail. Sometimes even “legal” items will get medial mail greyed out- in those cases I import to pirate ship.
Thank you for sharing the information in this video! Your sourcing tips are excellent.
I have a lot of craft and history books I've collected over the years. Craft magazines too. Moving with them and storing them in a smaller place hasn't been fun. I hope I can move some of them, even if it takes a while. It'll give me something to do 🙂
I think that is one reason why books are always plentiful to sell- people get tired of lugging them around. I know on our last move I had like 60 boxes of books. It was awful.
@@curatorofthelost I know that's right. I need lighter hobbies!
I was already somewhat aware of it, but it does break my brain that the books I'm least interested in are the ones that are actually the best to sell. lol
What is your opinion on mass paperbacks, I tend to avoid them?
How do you price the reference books if no comps are available? Thanks for the great video!
That tip about publishers is a good one! Never thought about that!
Thank you!!
One of my favorite quick eye scan methods!
Love my books but for some reason I dont know which to sell. Thank you for all the great info!
Thanks! Just jump in and you will learn. I have books that will take a year to sell but if I only have a buck or two in them that is ok. I will make great profit when they do sell. Sometimes it just takes some inventory to build up persistent sales.
@@curatorofthelost This older post reminded me of one more question. Does ebay have a limit for how long you can leave things listed? Or if it doesn't move in a month, can I remove it and list something else? ( I'm sorry for my many questions...)
@@sandycheney660 The fixed price listings list with a good til canceled. They will auto renew every 30 days. You can cancel them at any time. Just remember that listings and renewals all count toward any free listings.
@@sandycheney660 Fixed priced listings generally post with a Good Til Canceled feature. They auto renew every 30 days, but you can cancel it at anytime. Just remember, your new and renewal listings count toward any free insertion fee allocations you have. I like the Good Til Canceled- back in the 'old' days we would have to manually relist and it was easy to drop items.
Great Teaching! Thank you
Do you have a video on inventory management? Where you keep all your items organized?
I've been thinking about doing one. I unfortunately did not implement a system when I first started and have had to work back through one.
I do pretty well with local history books, sometimes they take a little while to sell, but you usually are not competing with a hundred other people selling the same book. The biggest turn off for me are the words " Best Seller". That tells me they were heavily promoted for a time and lot were sold but now there is no promotion, no one is looking for it and there is a huge supply a available. See law of supply & demand.
Hi! Just started my ebay store! I love your channel. Are you in GA? I am and will be calling the libraries for sourcing..never thought they would sell books. I am a RN and nursing textbooks and study guides sell like hotcakes. ;)
Great introductory video, thank you!
Super helpful, thank you for the video!
Also. You can make your own boxes from bigger cardboard
Came across your channel. Enjoyed your contents and new subscriber here. Do you use the USPS free shipping supplies for your books? I understand one may need to buy boxes in case one has many books to ship to one buyer.
I only use the free usps boxes for priority mail shipping. For me that is mainly magazines (I like the regional rate A boxes for those). I ship books media mail for the cost savings- especially with weight. So I have to buy boxes as you can’t use the usps priority for anything but that. I get them on either Amazon or eBay- generally for 50-60 cents each. It used to be closer to 40 cents!
Thanks I just started with books three genres thanks history sport maybe cooking lol have plenty gardening not selling thanks for inspiration !
Keep at it- you will find your niches and build inventory. It will come!
@@curatorofthelost thank you yes I love books to that great !
My thoughts on book sourcing...
Personally, I don't understand why an experienced book scouter would scan every book. Yes, you might miss a few valuable books, but you are better off using your trained eye to look for winners.
I do go to thrift stores, but I avoid the large chain stores. The smaller ones tend to have higher quality stuff at reasonable prices.
You can make money on fiction, but you will have to create book lots. It's a bit more work, but can be profitable.
When it comes to non fiction, the more specific the subject, the better. A generic cookbook probably won't fetch much, but a book on clay pot cooking techniques of Navajo people probably will.
Yes, small publishers have smaller print runs and hence, books are more valuable. The only major publisher I have luck with is Penguin.
Tks mate..super helpful
Thank you so much for the tips in this video!
Most libraries, library sales, and thrift stores, at least in my drivable area, are now selling nearly anything that's profitable online themselves; mostly junk left for the public to buy. Every now and then I find one that slips through the cracks.
Yea, you definitely live in a bad area...............
That is tough. I see some goodwill stores trying to do that. If sourcing is bad it makes it hard. For books- sometimes you can place a Craigslists or FB marketplace ad saying you will buy bulk books by the pound. Also, some viewers have put up flyers at local post office or grocery saying they will buy books. Just some other ideas given your situation.
I'm an online bookseller too, and I found your video extremely interesting. I have a question about rotation of stock. I have a very limited amount of room for my for-sale items, and find myself needing to rotate out books that don't sell. You mentioned keeping the more esoteric titles for as long as 6 months or longer. How long do you tend to keep your fiction/science fiction for-sale books? Thanks!
I have some stuff that is creeping up on a year. I need to take a day and do a culling. Or start some sales and see if they move. I’m not hurting on space right now so I haven’t been pressed to cull. Otherwise I would try to be on a 6 month schedule. Maybe longer for a real high value book I should revisit this topic!
@@curatorofthelost Thanks
Thank you!!!
My thrift store had a sale now, 10 cents per book. I feel like I can't lose.
Love those prices! Definitely gives you a head start!
You have any luck selling cookbooks ? I notice non fiction does sell well like sports books and WWII books.
Some luck- there are a few like the older Betty Crockers that I sell often for good price. I definitely check cookbooks out. I just found some good ones but the thrift knew they were good and priced them at $25 each!!!
I made a deal with a thrift store to get around 500 books a month at a quarter each. I take the good ones and donate the junk elsewhere. But even crappy books sell at a huge discount and I'm still making money or getting my quarter back lol oh and I should mention it's a crap shoot. They get boxes of books in then put it in my pile so they aren't looking at everything and I'm not picking. I get what I get.
That sounds like a pretty good deal, but I bet you see a wide range books. I love when my library does a 25 cent sale and I get that price and get to pick! You are right though- 25 cents gives you a lot of latitude for profit. Good luck on your future pick ups!
@@curatorofthelost i won't lie, I would like to be able to pick through the books first but they expect me to do a blind pickup each month. I am tired of all the childrens and cook books though lol. So many. The novels are great as lots on facebook marketplace. I do see a good range of books. I find books with autographs all the time which is cool. Thanks I subbed you by the way, I like your videos.
@outerrim yes good point
Any chance someone could tell me why the media mail for books always starts at 4.13? Ive changed the lbs and it won't go down
That is the minimum USPS charges for 0 to 1 lb.
Rates are about to go up again too.
Great information! I am a new reseller and after watching this video, reselling books doesn’t seem so daunting. Appreciate it!
You can do it- just get started and be patient. As you gain inventory your sales will happen. Nonfiction, specialty books are good money items but can be a thin market depending on the subject matter.
Exactly, daunting is the word. I just stepped back, out of a course to learn to sell books online, that was so daunting, it caused so much anxiety, I knew it wasn't for me. I need this calm, easy learning style. So grateful!
I'm switching from clothes & stuff to books. I absolutely like selling books! I did have a customer that left on his review "library book" they gave me a 5 star, but do ppl not like library books? Also...how do you handle covering the cost of shipping heavy books and making a profit?
Ex library books are usually less favorable because of markings and conditions. I typically don’t deal with them unless they are special volumes.
On shipping for heavy items- I just put calculated shipping on the eBay listing. Just pass the cost to the buyer. They pay you for shipping of course and you turn around and pay USPS through eBay shipping. But it is covered and doesn’t cut into your profit
Great video!! Library book sales are killer!! Personally I use a scanner but having knowledge about what to look out for helps when competition is in the same location.
Thanks! Man I love a good library book sale. Although that first 30 minutes to an hour can be madhouse. Scanners are the no fail way to go if you have one and the time to use it ;)
@@curatorofthelostdon’t the library books have the marks and glued portions to the books? That always devalues the book. Am I missing something? Thanks. Love the vid.
Hello, thank you for your content. I have past a lot of the types of genres you buy because they will be ranked over 2,000,000. Do you let the rank sway your decision. If so, how do you balance book selling ranks, time, and price.
For higher ranks, I just want the profit to be higher to justify the long tail for the sell. It is a balance for sure. If you are doing eBay or Amzn merchant fulfilled the big consideration is your shelf space. If you are doing FBA then the question for me is should it sell in 6 months. I have some books on eBay that may have been there for a year, but I do believe they will sell and my profit can be 30, 40, or even $100. For those, I will wait as I may only have 50 cents or $1 in them.
One thing that helps with ranking is definitely the ScoutIQ escore. If the ranking is 2M+ the escore gives you more info that I like. Lets say that escore was a 12. That would estimate a sale in about 2 weeks. In that case a $10 profit would be great (for me).
So, I guess to answer the question- yes it does sway me, but I look at the ranking and escore. Then I consider if I would rather sell it on ebay or amazon. If I think the profit potential is solid, then I will take a ride with it.
Looked and couldn't find the book sale finder app. Anyone know what it's exact name is and what color the icon is?
I'm not sure they actually have an app. Do a Google search on book sale finder. It will come up with a map of the US and say since 1994. You pick the state and drill done.
Thanks!
How do I know what is a small publisher?
Definitely pay attention to any University Press- they are small. Then learn the big guys like Random House, Doubleday, Knopf, Simon & Schuster, Viking, Putnam, etc. Your eye will learn to filter those out and pick up on publisher names you are not familiar with. Sometimes the small guys will have strange emblems/icons on the spine edge too.
new sub here love the info question i go to goodwill i will check the books for buyback price on the spot it just takes so long loading is there any app that is faster for the buyback books thank also willing to pay
I know the scan crowd likes scout IQ with the database option. Just requires the monthly subscription so it depends on your volume. I primarily use ebay lookup for comps in the wild. But that is where I primarily sell.
I have some encyclopedias so old that Constantinople is given as the de facto name of the city and Istanbul is what "some people" call it. I also have Mathematics book from 1900 that actually explains things exceptionally well. No "new math."
I just found your channel and became a subscriber. If u don’t mind I have two questions. (Maybe because this is the first video I’ve watched of yours you’ve answered this and other prior videos but I thought I’d ask) where do you normally sell most of your acquisitions? Do you put them on eBay or do you put them on Amazon or where is your recommended outlets for sales? Also you mention scanner app but every time I look at scanner apps I can’t find one that really works well for an android. Do you have any suggestions in that area? Thank you very much great video! 👍
Thanks for the sub! I only sell on ebay right now. I did etsy as well for a while with some good success. Nothing against Amazon, I just have good success on ebay and as a side hobby it keeps me plenty busy. If I did resell more full time, then I would definitely invest time in getting other sales channels. I do think that folks that sell on Amazon like their fulfillment services. As for scanner, I have never used a dedicated hardware plugin or app. I just use the amazon or ebay to lookup. Both of their built in functions are ok for onsite comp checks, but I see people with hardware attachments and they go fast. Maybe some other folks on the channel will reply with what they use.
Is there a best way to sell books? eBay, Amazon, or another site, or use more than one site, finding the value, and How to calculate shipping,?
Check out more of my videos and I address many of you questions above in greater detail, but here is the short scoop.
I currently just sell on ebay. It is easy to get started. For a new seller it is a great way to get into the game.
Having more than one selling channel is always a good thing if you can put the time into it.
Find value by looking for sold comps on ebay as a first step. If no sold, then look at ebay and amazon to get list prices to determine fair ask price.
Books ship media mail. It is based only on weight, not destination. You can get the rate table on USPS.com, but generally books will ship via media mail for $3.50 to $5 depending on size. I have a couple of shipping videos out there too.
I have a hunting memoir that is more valued than my first edition Hemingway. Why? Oi. Don't know.
How do you price used niche books in good condition? Sometimes new niche books on Amazon are really expensive. How should we price the same book which is in good used condition whether we sell on eBay or Amazon.
Great question. I usually will compare comps between Amazon, eBay, Abebooks, and maybe Alibris. That helps get a clear picture. If Amazon is the only comp and is crazy high, I will go with two methods. First, list a little lower but use best offer. The market can often tell you if it is too high from offer. 2nd, I might list at 50-75% of the expensive cost. I figure if I only have a buck in something and can flip it for $100 -125 it is better than it sitting forever at a higher price. A great profit for me and gets it to a collector that will enjoy it. Win-win.
@@curatorofthelost Great tip! Thank you.
Can you sell books you buy from the library book sales?
Absolutely. I will note that my library sales are 95% donated books and not ex-lib books. Ex-library books would be much more limited due to condition. Have found and sold ex-lib but generally don’t deal with them due to condition. Most library stores and sales will have a mix of donated and ex-lib- the ratio varies location to location.
Do you have any advice on vintage fiction classics? I found a Steinbeck, Shakespeare and Dickens all with interesting features. Not huge resale value but, anything to look for besides rarity and condition?
I have similar experiences with vintage classics. They are cool but have limited resale. If I see them I will still pick them up. I got a few Mark Twain’s a few months ago. The keys to me are age, condition, and cool factor. Age will play into rarity of course, but generally the older the better especially if in good condition. The cool factor is if the covers sport nice Victorian, Deco, or Nouveau elements. That can drive price as a decorative element as much as the book. Try putting those words in your list title. Another thing on that class book can be the illustration and illustrator. Tough to quantify but some editions can be special due to plate art alone.
Thank you!
Of Mice and Men published 1970 had some great illustrations by Fletcher Martin so I did pick it up for that reason.
What sort of people pay high prices for used books ?
Depends on the book!!!
D-o you find that graphic novels sell well
I haven’t had great luck with graphic novels. They can sell well in lots or for key/popular ones if you can get them at a good price, but I usually find them to cost too much when I do run across them.
Is bookselling something that is very competitive? At stores and sales you go to, do places seemed picked over?
Sometimes it is but it depends on your store. I have a library and a big thrift store that sees a ton of traffic, but they have new stock almost everyday. It can be hit or miss for sure, but depends on specific stores. My Salvation Army always looks picked over.
It's very competitive because it's very popular now.
Please do something about the volume. Turn it up! Lapel mic maybe? What ever! I really like your videos but it's always a struggle to hear what you are saying. Thank you !!!
Thanks for the feedback. I use a directional mic but obviously it could be improved. I will check it out.
Personally, I liked the tone, it didn't overwhelm me....Love all your information and easy style...@@curatorofthelost
How long can books take to sell?
It really varies on the book, price, topic, etc. I have some books that sell in hours and others that can sit for 6-12 months. A really obscure topic or edition can bring nice profit but realistically the market can be thin and take a while to sell. The strategy is to just build inventory and have a mix of fast, medium, and slower sellers. Then it all averages out.
@@curatorofthelost that’s kind of what I figured,
Next question I have for you is with shipping, how are so many people able to sell books so cheap with free shipping? There’s no way they are breaking even?
Seems books with library stamps seem to sell for less money
I agree- generally that will be the case. I usually have to list as 'acceptable' condition and ex-library due to a lot of wear. Sometime you find one that is ex-lib and in great shape.
This sounded like it could be a good informative video, but I wouldn't know...you sounded far away, and I could not hear you. Can you project your voice or get a better microphone? I think 🤔, I would enjoy your channel.
Thanks for the feedback. That was one of my early videos. I’m now on a second microphone and the audio quality is much improved. Sometimes you learn as you go!
"Book scanner" types miss books that are old and rare every day. They are kinda like AI that can't detect sarcasm or human emotion lol.